A drug infusion system used for administering a drug to a patient typically includes a pump for dispensing the drug and another pump for dispensing a carrier fluid. The drug and the carrier fluid are mixed together at a junction such as a manifold and transported to the patient via a fluid path. The volume of the fluid path is referred to as “dead volume” (sometimes referred to as “dead space”) and constitutes a space traversed by the fluid before the drug can reach the patient. The dead volume can cause a considerable discordance between an intended delivery profile and an actual delivery profile of drug delivered to the patient. Such discordance can cause a delay in delivering an intended dose of drug to the patient at a desired time.